8 Weeks to 10K Plan - Extra Life Fitness

8 Weeks to 10K Training Plan Beginner

Notes on How to Train

Before beginning this or any exercise routine, make sure that you are medically cleared by a healthcare professional.
For detailed information on exercise physiology and aerobic training, read the resources on this page first!
I can’t stress this enough, to be effective and sustainable, the training laid out below (except where workouts are specified to be hard) must be EASY. For many, it may require walking to stay below the prescribed heart rate. That’s OK. The goal is to condition your body for endurance and fat burning. You may not even be breaking a sweat, but trust me, dramatic effects will be occurring, if you stay consistent and practice healthy habits.
In addition to the exercise protocol below, be sure to consume a healthy clean diet, rich in vegetables and healthy ingredients.
There are a couple ways to manage your effort to make sure you keep the pace “easy”. The first is paying attention to your breath. If you can keep a slow steady rhythm to your breathing which allows you to maintain a conversation, that is perfect.
- A more reliable way to manage your effort is with heart rate. Your “Maximum Aerobic Heart Rate” is the metric to use. From here on out, we refer to this value as “MAHR”, which is the heart rate under which you engage your aerobic energy system. We use the “Maffetone Method” to find maximum aerobic heart rate.
- Take 180 and subtract your age, and for most people starting out, that is your MAHR (Maximum Aerobic Heart Rate).
  - If you already have a very good level of fitness, you can add 5-10 points to this number. For example, if you are 30 years old, your MAHR will be 180 – 30 = 150 +5 for good fitness = 155. All aerobic training will be under this heart rate.
  - If you have not been exercising for an extended period, are generally unhealthy, or have been injured, subtract 5-10 points.
To verify your MAHR, monitor your breathing as you exercise at that heart rate. If you are breathing at a rate that makes it so that you can’t hold a conversation, your heart rate is too high. If you can still hold a conversation, it’s still aerobic.

Weeks 1-6

Week 1

Week 1 Notes:

During the first few weeks of aerobic training using the Maffetone Method, you may find yourself walking a lot, or jogging without breaking much of a sweat. That’s okay and totally normal! The goal is to condition the aerobic system, which means taking things very slow. It also allows you to increase the volume of exercise gradually without getting injured or burned out. Stick with it and trust the process!

Monday

Rest Day

Tuesday

Workout 1:
Moderate Run – 30 min
– Warmup jog easy 10 min
– Keep heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR throughout
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Wednesday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Thursday

Workout 1:
Run – 30 min Moderate
– Warmup 10 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR

Friday

REST DAY

Saturday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Sunday

Workout 1:
Long Run: 3 Mile Run
– Warmup 10-15 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 80-95% of MAHR throughout. Take the long run easy! Be patient and enjoy it.
– Cooldown 10-15 min.
Week 2

Week 2 Notes:

Continue to focus on keeping the exercises nice, easy, and meditative. Focus on excellent form, and be patient. It takes a few weeks for the pace to start improving within the aerobic heart rates. Just a quick note about training with “time” instead of “distance”. Don’t concern yourself with how far you are running, only worry about the time you spend training aerobically. You will begin to improve your pace over time and the number of “miles” will increase within the allotted time. Some things that will improve your body’s adaptation to aerobic training: clean nutrition (see the nutrition section of our website), and proper mindfulness techniques (see the mindfulness section of our website).

Monday

Rest Day

Tuesday

Workout 1:
Moderate Run – 35 min
– Warmup jog easy 10 min
– Keep heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR throughout
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Wednesday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Thursday

Workout 1:
Run – 30 min High Aerobic
– Warmup 10 min easy
– After 10 min, keep the heart rate between 95-100% of MAHR
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Friday

REST DAY

Saturday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Sunday

Workout 1:
Long Run: 3.5 Mile Run
– Warmup 10-15 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 80-95% of MAHR throughout.
– Cooldown 10-15 min.
Week 3

Week 3 Notes:

You may find at this point that you have greater energy, greater focus, and maybe you’re getting a little faster under the aerobic heart rate. If so, that’s great progress! If not, it’s still great progress! Understand and believe that the physiological adaptations are happening. Don’t push too hard, and honor the rest days. It’s during rest that the adaptations and improvements are made from the exercises we have done, not during the exercises themselves, so make sure to treat them as important. Make proper nutrition a key focus as well.

Monday

REST DAY

Tuesday

Workout 1:
Moderate Run – 35 min
– Warmup jog easy 10 min
– Keep heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR throughout
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Wednesday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Thursday

Workout 1:
Run – 35 min High Aerobic
– Warmup 15 min easy
– After 15 min, keep the heart rate between 95-100% of MAHR
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Friday

Workout 1:
OPTIONAL Run: 20 Min Easy
– Keep Heart rate below 90% MAHR

Saturday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Sunday

Workout 1:
Long Run: 4 Mile Run
– Warmup 10-15 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 80-95% of MAHR throughout.
– Cooldown 10-15 min.
Week 4

Week 4 Notes:

To promote adaptation to the workouts and aerobic fitness, every few weeks it is important to “deload”, or cut back on the volume. This is one of those weeks. Continue to practice healthy habits, clean nutrition, and a daily practice of mindfulness.

Monday

REST DAY

Tuesday

Workout 1:
Moderate Run – 35 min
– Warmup jog easy 10 min
– Keep heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR throughout
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Wednesday

Workout 2:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Thursday

Workout 1:
Run – 35 min High Aerobic
– Warmup 15 min easy
– After 15 min, keep the heart rate between 95-100% of MAHR
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Friday

Workout 1:
Run – OPTIONAL 20 min EASY
– Keep your heart rate below 90% of MAHR throughout. Focus on good form and good turnover.

Saturday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Sunday

Workout 1:
Long Run: 3.5 Mile Run
– Warmup 10-15 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 80-95% of MAHR throughout.
– Cooldown 10-15 min.

Weeks 5-8

Week 5

Week 5 Notes:

Be conscious of how you’re feeling as the volume and intensity begins to ramp up. If you start to feel any abnormal pain, fatigue, or lactate buildup, back off the effort. Make sure recovery is a priority. Get enough sleep, stay hydrated, and make sure you’re eating enough!

Monday

REST DAY

Tuesday

Workout 1:
Moderate Run – 40 min
– Warmup jog easy 10 min
– Keep heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR throughout
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Wednesday

Workout 2:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Thursday

Workout 1:
Run – 35 min High Aerobic
– Warmup 15 min easy
– After 15 min, keep the heart rate between 95-100% of MAHR
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Friday

Workout 1:
Run – 20 min EASY
– Keep your heart rate below 90% of MAHR throughout. Focus on good form and good turnover.

Saturday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Sunday

Workout 1:
Long Run: 4.5 Mile Run
– Warmup 10-15 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 80-95% of MAHR throughout.
– Cooldown 10-15 min.
Week 6

Week 6 Notes:

Keep up the great work! Make sure to honor the rest day. Rest is vital! It’s where all the improvements are made. Fight the urge to do too much. Stick to the plan.

Monday

REST DAY

Tuesday

Workout 1:
Moderate Run – 40 min
– Warmup jog easy 10 min
– Keep heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR throughout
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Wednesday

Workout 2:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Thursday

Workout 1:
Run – 40 min High Aerobic
– Warmup 15 min easy
– After 15 min, keep the heart rate between 95-100% of MAHR
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Friday

Workout 1:
Run – 20 min EASY
– Keep your heart rate below 90% of MAHR throughout. Focus on good form and good turnover.

Saturday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Sunday

Workout 1:
Long Run: 5 Mile Run
– Warmup 10-15 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 80-95% of MAHR throughout.
– Cooldown 10-15 min.
Week 7

Week 7 Notes:

You may be feeling very good right now, or perhaps not. Don’t be discouraged. Heart rate training is not about going “fast”. The secret to developing sustainable health and fitness is developing a giant aerobic engine. You do that by going SLOW! So if yesterday’s run was slow, be happy! As long as you’re staying consistent, you’re developing the healthy and strong foundation necessary to complete a half marathon in just a few short weeks. Keep at it!

Monday

REST DAY

Tuesday

Workout 1:
Moderate Run – 45 min
– Warmup jog easy 10 min
– Keep heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR throughout
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Wednesday

Workout 2:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Thursday

Workout 1:
Run – 40 min High Aerobic
– Warmup 15 min easy
– After 15 min, keep the heart rate between 95-100% of MAHR
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Friday

Workout 1:
Run – 20 min EASY
– Keep your heart rate below 90% of MAHR throughout. Focus on good form and good turnover.

Saturday

Workout 1:
Base Phase Strength (30 Min) – The strength in this phase should be easy. At the end of each set, you should feel like you can do a couple more reps with good form. See the strength video and do the “Base” guidance. Following the workout, do simple quad, Achilles, and hamstring stretches.

Sunday

Workout 1:
Long Run: 5.5 Mile Run
– Warmup 10-15 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 80-95% of MAHR throughout.
– Cooldown 10-15 min.
Week 8

Week 8 Notes:

Race Week! This will be a short taper to adequately give you the rest to get the mileage in on Saturday for your 10k. Here are some tips to tackle the half marathon.
– Make sure to fuel adequately before, during, and after. This includes at least a couple hundred calories per hour during the race (in the form of Gus, Gatorade, etc.)
– Make it a build throughout. Start off steady to warm up, then build into your half marathon pace over the first few miles.
– Celebrate! Once you finish, make sure to celebrate your achievement!

Monday

REST DAY

Tuesday

Workout 1:
Moderate Run – 35 min
– Warmup jog easy 10 min
– Keep heart rate between 85-95% of MAHR throughout
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Wednesday

REST DAY

Thursday

Workout 1:
Run – 30 min Easy
– Warmup 15 min easy
– After 15 min, keep the heart rate between 80-90% of MAHR
– Cooldown 10 min easy

Friday

REST DAY

Saturday

Workout 1:
Run: 15 Min Easy
– Warmup 10 min easy
– Keep the heart rate between 80-90% MAHR throughout. Just keep the legs loose for tomorrow.

Sunday

10K Race!

8 Weeks to 10K Training Plan Beginner

Notes on How to Train

Weeks 1-6

Weeks 5-8

Proper Run Form

How to Run With Proper Form

Strength Training Guidance

Bodyweight Workout to Support Run Training